Did you know that it could be in your DNA to have low appetite control? <\/strong>Some people are genetically predisposed to have less control over their appetite than others, which means they find it more difficult to determine when they\u2019re full, or find it challenging to stop eating once they start. If you want to learn how to control your appetite, you may want to find out through a CircleDNA test<\/a> whether or not you have a genetic likelihood of low appetite control. This will help you figure out whether or not you\u2019ll have to work extra hard to control your appetite. This DNA test also provides you with hundreds of other reports about yourself, including information on your genetic health risks, your personality traits, nutritional needs, and more.<\/p>\n Furthermore, most of us aren\u2019t as \u201cmindful\u201d as we should be about the act of eating, and can end up constantly overeating, which is a disordered eating behaviour<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fortunately, there are ways to control your appetite, and your hunger more effectively.<\/p>\n The first step in managing your hunger and appetite, is ensuring you\u2019re eating the right foods. Some foods are more likely to keep you feeling fuller and satisfied for longer, while other foods are empty calories<\/a>.<\/p>\n Start by adding more protein to your diet, as this helps to reduce hunger hormone levels, and increases feelings of fullness. A high-protein diet once a day could stop you from eating extra food in-between meals, or the next time you prepare a plate. One study found<\/a> a high-protein breakfast reduced hunger hormones for adults throughout the rest of the day.<\/p>\n Notably, the appetite-suppressing nature of protein isn\u2019t limited exclusively to animal sources such as meat and eggs. Vegetable proteins such as beans and peas are just as useful for moderating food intake. Aiming to get around 20-30% of your calorie intake form protein should reduce your desire for extra food.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also worth increasing your intake of fiber. A high-fiber diet slows digestion<\/a> and influences the release of hormones for regulating appetite. Fiber can also produce valuable short-chain fatty acids in the stomach, which promote feelings of fullness. Viscous fibers found in fiber-rich beans, peas, and lentils can increase fullness feelings by up to 31%.<\/a><\/p>\n When you start to feel hungry, or your appetite seems too big to handle, drink a glass of water instead. Studies indicate<\/a> some people are more likely to confuse thirst with hunger, because the signals for thirst can be weaker than those for food.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also significant anecdotal evidence indicating water might suppress hunger by creating a feeling of fullness. Drinking a glass of water during a meal, or before one, could help to reduce the amount you eat. One study<\/a> found people who drank 2 glasses of water before a meal ate 22% less than their counterparts.<\/p>\n Scientists believe the impact of water on hunger has something to do with the liquid stretching the stomach, and subsequently sending fullness signals to the brain. Outside of drinking water, you could also start your meal with a broth-based soup. One study found eating a bowl of soup before a meal helped to reduce appetite and calorie intake by around 100 calories<\/a>.<\/p>\n When your hunger or appetite feels like too much for you to control, dense foods might be the way to go. One research review<\/a> found solid foods with a high viscosity led to reduced feelings of hunger compared to thin or liquid foods. Eating white rice or raw vegetables may help you to feel fuller for longer. It\u2019s particularly helpful to eat foods with a lot of complex textures.<\/p>\n One study<\/a> found foods with more complex textures lead to people eating significantly less food during the meal. Scientists believe this has something to do with complex textures causing us to chew more thoroughly, which gives the stomach more time to send fullness signals to the brain. Softer foods are also easier to consume quickly and make it easier to overeat.<\/p>\n Aim to get a variety of textures and flavors into your meal to keep your hunger and appetite levels from getting out of control. While you eat, it\u2019s also important to slow the pace of your consumption. As easy as it is to rush and eat more than you planned, studies find<\/a> that people who take bigger, faster bites generally eat more calories overall.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re struggling to slow your pace, try counting the number of times you chew each bite of food and giving yourself a number to aim for. Even if you\u2019re done chewing by the time, you\u2019re half way through counting, wait until you\u2019re done to start the next mouthful.<\/p>\n In typical conditions, your brain helps your body to understand when you\u2019re full, or hungry. However, eating quickly when you\u2019re distracted, such as when you\u2019re rushing through a dinner at work, or when you\u2019re on your phone, makes it harder to recognize critical signals.<\/p>\n Practicing a habit of mindful eating<\/a> is one of the best ways to solve this problem. Turn off all distractions around you when you eat and focus on experiencing the food. Mindful eating is a way of getting to know your hunger and satiety cues better and allowing them to guide your intake.<\/p>\n Research indicates<\/a> that mindfulness during meals can help to reduce mood-related cravings, making it particularly useful for people who are susceptible to emotional, reward-driven, or impulsive eating habits. Every time you eat something, try to focus on the act of eating, asking questions such as:<\/p>\n For people who have appetite or hunger control issues, figuring out how to avoid eating when you\u2019re sitting in front of a television screen can be particularly difficult. Because you\u2019re actively not paying attention to your food when you\u2019re in front of a computer or TV screen, you\u2019ll be less aware of what you\u2019re putting into your mouth.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also worth noting a lot of television shows are designed to make us crave certain foods, which is why it\u2019s so common to feel like snacking when you\u2019re watching a show. In genetical, it\u2019s difficult to control your appetite when you\u2019re mindlessly eating without paying attention during a Netflix binge session.<\/p>\n One of the best ways to avoid eating while you watch something, is to keep your hands busy. Take up an activity you can perform while watching television, such as needlework, nail decorating, colouring books, or shuffling cards. Alternatively, you could try working out while you watch TV, or doodling on a piece of paper.<\/p>\n Keeping your hands busy and removing food from the general vicinity when you\u2019re watching something will stop you from mindlessly eating just because you can. You\u2019ll have to actively make the decision to stop doing whatever you\u2019re doing with your hands to eat.<\/p>\n If your main issue with your relationship with food is you can\u2019t always tell how much you\u2019re supposed to eat, consider measuring your portions more carefully<\/a>. Rather than just eating as much as you want, find out the recommended amount of each ingredient you should have on your plate, and follow those instructions.<\/p>\n If you find it hard to stick to your portions with the current dinnerware you have, consider switching to smaller plates and glasses. It might seem odd, but when you have food on a larger plate, you\u2019re more likely to fill that plate, and eat more without realizing it.<\/p>\n Some studies<\/a> even indicate eating with a smaller fork or spoon could help you to eat less by reducing your eating rate and pushing you to take smaller bites.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re planning on taking a snack with you into the living room while you\u2019re watching a movie or TV, you can also use this strategy to reduce how much you eat. Focus on setting the goal to eat only the amount you portion for yourself, and nothing more.<\/p>\n Certain foods added to your meals, or supplemented for your current snack choices, could help to keep your appetite under control. Ginger is linked to a range of health benefits, thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It also has a reputation for reducing hunger<\/a>.<\/p>\n Alternatively, you could try some low-fat dairy foods. Dairy is packed with casein and whey, two proteins which are also excellent at suppressing appetite. Whey (the liquid part of milk<\/a>) is particularly valuable at reducing appetite. Other options you can try eating include:<\/p>\n Often, when we eat more food than we really need to, we do so because it\u2019s easily accessible. When you know you have snacks lying around the kitchen, it\u2019s easy to grab them when you\u2019re feeling bored or listless. However, the more work you need to put into eating, the less likely you are to keep snacking.<\/p>\nControl Your Appetite by Building Your Diet Around Appetite Suppression<\/strong><\/h2>\n
You Might Be Mistaking Hunger for Thirst: Drink a Glass of Water Instead<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\nEat Dense Foods More Slowly<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Practice Mindful Eating<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Learn how to Control Eating While Watching TV<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Practice Portion Control<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\nTry Adding Foods That are Natural Appetite Suppressing Ingredients<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Make Eating Less Convenient<\/strong><\/h2>\n